Structural Characterization of Polycrystalline 3C–SiC Films Prepared at High Rates by Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition Using Monomethylsilane

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Polycrystalline cubic silicon carbide (3C–SiC) films were deposited at a relatively low temperature of 1070 K on Si(001) substrates by atmospheric pressure plasma chemical vapor deposition. Monomethylsilane (CH3SiH3) was used as the single source. CH4 and SiH4 dual sources were also used to compare deposition characteristics. Under the present deposition conditions, very high deposition rates of more than 3 nm/s were obtained. The structure of the SiC films was evaluated by reflection high-energy electron diffraction, Fourier transform infrared absorption spectroscopy and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. In addition, optical emission spectroscopy was employed to study the chemical reactions in the CH4/SiH4 and CH3SiH3 plasmas. The results showed that increasing H2 concentration is essential in forming a high quality 3C–SiC film by enhancing the hydrogen elimination reaction at the film-growing surface. From the optical emission spectra, it was found that atomic hydrogen generated by adding H2 in the plasma increase the amount of principal precursors for the film growth. The utilization of CH3SiH3 also led to a higher concentration of principal precursors in the plasma, enhancing the incorporation of Si–C bonds into the film. As a consequence of simultaneously using a high H2 concentration and the CH3SiH3 single source, the columnar growth of 3C–SiC crystallites was achieved.